Continuous web winding apparatus

Abstract

A web winding and severing apparatus using a linear carriage arrangement wherein the cores are positioned relative to feed to a winding drum in a bilateral manner such that a core is always adjacent to the drum ready to receive the leading edge of the web. A pair of reciprocating carriages are mounted on a frame which supports a winding drum for rotation. The carriages movement relative to the drum is independent, yet coordinated such that as one carriage carries a filling winding core, the other stands ready on the opposite side of the winding drum with an empty core. As the web is severed the second carriage positions its core to become the winding core and the first carriage moves away to off-load the full core, then, returns to a ready position with a fresh core.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for winding and serving an elongated, continuously delivered web to a winding core and transferring a leading edge of the remaining web to an empty core comprising, in combination: (a.) a winding drum mounted at a fixed position for rotation about an axis transverse to the length of said web;   (b.) a plurality of core mounting stations adjacent said winding drum and means for moving each of said plurality of core mounting stations independently and radially relative thereto between a winding position proximal said winding drum and a home position distal said winding drum, said means for moving including carriage means for supporting said plurality of core mounting stations such that the core mounted in each station thereof for driven rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of the winding drum; means for selectively reciprocating said carriage means along a linear path to deliver a first one of said core mounting stations to a winding position and a second of said core mounting stations to a home position, responsive to an accumulation of web on a core supported at said winding position, including means for sensing the accumulation of web on an adjacent core supported at said winding position to provide a control signal to said reciprocating means, wherein said means for sensing comprises at least one compressible member mounted on said carriage means such that said compressible member is elastically deformed as web accumulates on said core at said winding position, means for sensing the deformation of said compressible member and outputting a control signal responsive thereto;   (c.) means for delivering said web to said winding drum for transfer to a core at one of said plurality of core mounting stations while at said winding position; and,   (d.) means for severing said web while in said delivering means such that said leading edge is captured by said delivering means and transferred to said winding roll.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said delivering means comprises: a vacuum transfer roll including means for selectively applying a retaining vacuum to a web carried thereon over a predetermined angular measure of said roll; and vacuum means within said winding drum for selectively applying a retaining vacuum to a web carried thereon over a predetermined angular measure of said drum.   
     
     
       3. Apparatus for winding and serving an elongated, continuously delivered web to a winding core and transferring a leading edge of a served web to an empty core, comprising in combination: (a) a winding drum mounted at a fixed position for rotation about an axis transverse to the length of said web;   (b.) a plurality of core mounting stations adjacent said winding drum and movable radially relative thereto between a winding position proximal said winding drum and a home position distal said winding drum;   (c.) means for delivering said web to said winding drum for transfer to a core at one of said plurality of core mounting stations while at said winding position;   (d.) means for severing said web while on said delivering means such that the leading edge is captured by said delivering means and transferred to said winding drum;   (e.) means for moving each of said plurality of core mounting stations between said home position and said winding position including carriage means for supporting said plurality of core mounting stations such that the core mounted in each station thereof for driven rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of the winding drum and means for selectively reciprocating said carriage means along a linear path to deliver a first one of said core mounting stations to a winding position and a second of said core mounting stations to a home position, responsive to an accumulation of web on a core supported at said winding position, said means for selectively reciprocating including means for sensing the accumulation of web on an adjacent core supported at said winding position to provide a control signal to said reciprocating means, wherein said means for sensing comprises at least one compressible member mounted on said carriage means such that said compressible member is elastically deformed as web accumulates on said core at said winding position, means for sensing the deformation of said compressible member and outputting a control signal responsive thereto, a mounting plate affixed to said carriage means adjacent said compressible member, a drive plate affixed to said means for reciprocating adjacent said compressible member such that said compressible member is captured between said drive plate and said mounting plate and, means for connecting said drive plate and said mounting plate in variable spaced relation such that said compressible member is dynamically compressed in accordance with the separation therebetween, with said means for sensing operatively connected to sense said separation.   
     
     
       4. Apparatus for winding and severing an elongated, continuously delivered web to a winding core and transferring a leading edge of a severed web to an empty core, comprising in combination: (a.) a winding drum mounted at a fixed position for rotation about an axis transverse to the length of said web;   (b.) a plurality of core mounting stations adjacent said winding drum and movable radially relative thereto between a winding position proximal said winding drum and a home position distal said winding drum;   (c.) means for delivering said web to said winding drum for transfer to a core at one of said plurality of core mounting stations while at said winding position;   (d.) means for severing said web while on said delivering means such that the leading edge is captured by said delivering means and transferred to said winding drum;   (e.) means for moving each of said plurality of core mounting stations between said home position and said winding position including carriage means for supporting said plurality of core mounting stations such that the core mounted in each station thereof for driven rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of the winding drum and means for selectively reciprocating said carriage means along a linear path to deliver a first one of said core mounting stations to a winding position and a second of said core mounting stations to a home position, responsive to an accumulation of web on a core supported at said winding position, said means for selectively reciprocating including means for sensing the accumulation of web on an adjacent core supported at said winding position to provide a control signal to said reciprocating means, further comprising: a mounting plate affixed to said carriage means;   a drive plate affixed to said means for reciprocating;   a compressible member captured between said drive plate and said mounting plate; and,   means for connecting said drive plate and said mounting plate in variable spaced relation such that said compressible member is dynamically compressed as a function of the separation therebetween, with said means for sensing operatively connected to sense the separation.     
     
     
       5. Apparatus for winding and severing an elongated, continuously delivered web to a winding core and transferring a leading edge of a severed web to an empty core, comprising, in combination: (a.) a winding drum mounted at a fixed position for rotation about an axis transverse to the length of said web;   (b.) a plurality of core mounting stations adjacent said winding drum and movable radially relative thereto between a winding position proximal said winding drum and a home position distal said winding drum;   (c.) means for delivering said web to said winding drum for transfer to a core at one of said plurality of core mounting stations while at said winding position;   (d.) means for severing said web while on said delivering means such that the leading edge is captured by said delivering means and transferred to said winding drum;   (e.) means for moving each of said plurality of core mounting stations between said home position and said winding position including carriage means for supporting said plurality of core mounting stations such that the core mounted in each station thereof for driven rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of the winding drum and means for selectively reciprocating said carriage means along a linear path to deliver a first one of said core mounting stations to a winding position and a second of said core mounting stations to a home position, responsive to an accumulation of web on a core supported at said winding position; programmable means for calculating the desired position of a core supported on a carriage relative to said winding drum as a function of the rate of accumulation of web on said supported core, said programmable means having an output signal to said reciprocating means for controlling the position of said core in accordance with said calculated position wherein said programmable means is programmed to calculate the desired position to establish a gap between said winding drum and the surface of the web accumulated on said supported core in accordance with the formula: Position relative to a home position=D-g-r, where   D=the distance from the winding drum to the core surface with the core in the home position,   r=the radius of the core as the web accumulates, thereon, and   g=the gap desired between the winding drum and the surface of the web accumulated on said core, wherein r varies proportionally with the thickness of the web and the linear rate feed of the web to the core.     
     
     
       6. Apparatus for winding a web of material onto cores such that the web is continuously fed into the apparatus and sequentially wound onto cores, with the web being severed intermediate the cores, comprising in combination: a. a winding drum mounted at a fixed location on a supporting frame for rotation about a longitudinal axis transverse to the feed direction of a web moving relative to said winding drum;   b. a pair of carriages supported on said frame for linear movement between a home position at which a core is supported distal said winding drum and a winding position at which a core is supported proximal said winding drum;   c. means for controlling the position of said pair of carriages in accordance with the amount of web accumulated on a winding core supported at said winding position including at least one compressible member mounted on each of said plurality of carriages such that said compressible member is deformed as web accumulates on the core supported at said winding position and means for sensing the deformation of said compressible member;   d. a knife roll having a movable knife therein supported for controlled movement relative to said web to sever said web transversely; and,   e. a vacuum transfer roll mounted for rotation intermediate said winding drum and knife roll and parallel thereto, said roll having a perforated transfer surface over which said web is conveyed and a controllable source of vacuum therein.   
     
     
       7. Apparatus for winding a web of material onto cores such that the web is continuously fed into the apparatus and sequentially wound onto cores, with the web being severed intermediate the cores, comprising in combination: (a.) a winding drum mounted at a fixed location on a supporting frame for rotation about a longitudinal axis transverse to the feed direction of a web moving relative to said winding drum;   (b.) a pair of carriages supported on said frame for linear movement between a home position at which a core is supported distal said winding drum and a winding position at which a core is supported proximal said winding drum;   (c.) means for controlling the position of said pair carriages in accordance with the amount of web accumulated on a winding core supported at said winding position, means for sensing the accumulation of web on an adjacent core supported on one of said pair of carriages to provide a control signal to a means for reciprocally moving said carriage, wherein said means for sensing comprises at least one compressible member mounted on each carriage such that said compressible member is elastically deformed as web accumulates on said carried core, means for sensing the deformation of said compressible member and outputting a control signal responsive thereto, and a mounting plate affixed to each of said pair of carriages adjacent said compressible member, a drive plate affixed to said means for reciprocally moving adjacent said compressible member such that said compressible member is captured between said drive plate and said mounting plate; and,   means for connecting said drive plate and said mounting plate in variable spaced relation such that said compressible member is dynamically compressed as the separation therebetween is reduced, with said means for sensing operatively connected to sense the separation therebetween; and,     (d.) a knife roll having a movable knife therein supported for controlled movement relative to said web to sever said web transversely; and,   (e.) a vacuum transfer roll mounted for rotation intermediate said winding drum and knife roll and parallel thereto, said roll having a perforated transfer surface over which said web is conveyed and a controllable source of vacuum therein.   
     
     
       8. Apparatus for winding a web of material onto cores such that the web is continuously fed into the apparatus and sequentially wound onto cores, with the web being severed intermediate the cores, comprising in combination: a. a winding drum mounted at a fixed location on a supporting frame for rotation about a longitudinal axis transverse to the feed direction of a web moving relative to said winding drum;   b. a pair of carriages supported on said frame for linear movement between a home position at which a core is supported distal said winding drum and a winding position at which a core supported proximal said winding drum;   c. means for controlling the position of said pair of carriages in accordance with the amount of web accumulated on a winding core supported at said winding position, wherein said position controlling means comprises programmable means for calculating the desired position of a core supported on one of said pair of carriages relative to said winding drum as a function of the rate of accumulation of web on said supported core, said programmable means having an output signal to said reciprocating means for controlling the position of said core in accordance with said calculated position wherein said programmable means is programmed to calculate the desired position to establish a gap between said winding drum and the surface of the web accumulated on said supported core in accordance with the formula:   Position relative to a home position=D-g-r     where:   D=the distance from the winding drum to the core surface with the drum in the home position,   r=the radius of the core as the web accumulates thereon, and   g=the gap desired between the winding drum and the surface of the web accumulated on said core, wherein r varies proportionally with the thickness of the web and the linear feed of the web to the core;     d. a knife roll having a moveable knife therein supported for controlled movement relative to said web to sever said web transversely; and   e. a vacuum transfer roll mounted for rotation intermediate said winding drum and knife roll and parallel thereto, said roll having a perforated transfer surface over which said web is conveyed and a controllable source of vacuum therein.   
     
     
       9. Apparatus for winding an elongated, continuously delivered, web to a winding core, for transversely severing said web and transferring a leading edge of said severed web to an empty core comprising, in combination: a. a winding drum mounted at a fixed position for rotation about an axis transverse to the length of said web;   b. a pair of core mounting stations adjacent said winding drum and supported on carriage means for radial movement, relative to said drum, of a core supported in one of said core mounting stations between a winding position proximal said winding roll and a home position distal said winding roll;   c. means connected to said carriage means in variable spaced relation thereto for selectively reciprocating said carriage means along a linear path to move said core between said positions including means for sensing the accumulation of web on said core supported at said winding position to provide a control signal to said reciprocating means, said sensing means including a compressible member captured between said carriage means and said reciprocating means for dynamic compression in accordance with the separation therebetween, such that said sensing means is operatively connected to sense compression of said compressible member;   d. means for delivering said web to said winding drum for transfer to a core while at said winding position; and,   e. means for severing said web while in said delivering means such that said leading edge is captured by said delivering means and transferred to said winding drum.